Class News- May 11, 2018

We’re moving closer and closer to the end of the year with great momentum! Between the K-2 How Does Our Garden Groove? show, Macabbia, and everyday classroom learning, the students have had to manage a lot but are doing a nice job of finishing the year strong.

In Writing Workshop, the students spent a few sessions writing reviews on things such as restaurants, vacation spots, foods, toys, and movies, just to name a few. They’ve learned some writing strategies such as writing a catchy introduction, making comparisons, and adding supporting details in order to make their writing as convincing as possible. They’re now taking all that they know about writing convincing reviews and using it to write book reviews. We’ll finish this unit next week, and the rest of the school year in Writing Workshop will be spent learning how to write a fiction series.

The students did a wonderful job mastering telling time to the hour and half hour in Math. They enjoyed using the miniature Judy clocks to practice showing the time, and they’ve been loving Mrs. White’s “clock alerts” when they have to stop what they’re doing to look at our classroom clock and tell the time. We also worked through topic 14 which focuses on reasoning with shapes and their attributes. The students explored the properties of both 2 dimensional and 3 dimensional shapes, and it was fun for them to build and play with the geometric manipulatives. We will finish the school year in Math with some work on measurement, a cumulative review, and a look ahead into 2nd grade math.

Watching the students complete their checklists each week is a great way to see how much they’ve grown into successful independent workers. They tackle the phonics and reading activities on their checklists with enthusiasm, and their ability to start and finish activities on their own has progressed tremendously since the beginning of the year. I see the same enthusiasm from the students in reading groups, and I’ve enjoyed seeing their love of reading grow this school year.

A reminder that the students will participate in MAP testing next week. They will test on Monday, May 14th and Thursday, May 17th. Please be sure your child arrives to school on time on those days. A good night's sleep and a healthy breakfast are important, too!​Best,Mrs. Konerman

Class News- April 23, 2018

What an amazing Choose Kindness week we had at school! Each day was dedicated to a different theme. Monday was kindness to each other, Tuesday was kindness to animals, Wednesday was kindness to the Earth, Thursday was kindness to other communities, and Friday was kindness to each other. We had great discussions throughout the week centered on these themes. We were also lucky enough to have had a visit from the League for Animal Welfare on Tuesday. Also in celebration of the week, we partnered with the 6th graders to read Todd Parr books and do a self-portrait activity that the students loved. After doing this activity on Tuesday, the first graders then worked with Miss Amber’s 3 year old class doing the same thing, except for this time they were the readers and they helped the 3 year olds design their portraits.

In Math, we wrapped up our two topics on using models and strategies to add and subtract tens. The students have worked hard to be able to fluently work with tens. Next, we’re diving into a unit on time before ending the year with geometry and measurement.

We began our new unit in Writing Workshop on writing reviews, and we kicked off the unit by having the students judge and review collections brought in from home. We learned the importance of giving several reasons and providing supporting details when writing opinions. The students also worked on studying mentor texts, citing peers and teachers, and using reasons and evidence in order to bolster the power of their persuasive writing voices. The students will be bringing their collections back home today, and then we’ll begin learning how to write reviews of movies, video games, restaurants, vacation spots, and more! We’ll build upon the opinion writing strategies they’ve already learned in order to keep working on the art of persuasion.

This past week we also began our last long term science project which focuses on plants. The students began studying the parts of a flower and we’ll be continuing our studies for the last few weeks of school.

One last note- MAP testing will take place the week of May 7th. The first grade will participate in the Spring MAP testing session, and they’ll do the Math portion and Language Arts portion of the test over two days. I will send a reminder email as the dates approach, but please be sure your child is getting a good night’s sleep that week and eating breakfast before coming to school.​Best,Mrs. Konerman

Class News- March 29, 2018

​Thank you to those of you who were able to make it to the bird presentations. The two day bird fair was the culmination of the first grade’s long term bird project. For the past month or so, the students have been learning all about birds. They’ve learned about birds that are native to Ohio and other birds around the world. They’ve learned about the various shapes of bird beaks and what a bird’s beak indicates about its diet and eating habits. The students have learned about birds’ habitats and why they live where they do. They’ve learned new bird vocabulary words- beak, clutch, webbed. They listened to bird sounds so that when they are out and about they can hear a bird sound and be able to identify the type of bird they’re hearing. Our hope is that this project not only taught them about birds but opened their eyes and ears to the birds in nature around them every single day.

We hope you have a restful Passover break, and we look forward to seeing the kids on Monday, April 9th.

Best,The First Grade Team

Class News- March 16, 2018

A few highlights from the last two weeks:

- The first grade had a special guest visitor. Well, 3 to be exact. A former colleague of Ms. Paden's is a bird owner and connoisseur, and she visited the classroom this week with two of her birds, an African Grey Parrot and an Amazon Parrot. She shared with us information about the birds, and she was impressed by our students' bird knowledge!

- Today, the first grade was invited to a special presentation during which the 4th graders shared information they've researched about Israeli culture. Their projects were done as a part of Israel @ 70. They presented everything from Israeli food to dance to literature to the first grade, and the first graders even enjoyed a tasting plate of some Israeli staple foods.

- Last week, the teachers attended a seminar for professional development, and our speaker was a licensed clinical psychologist who has been in the field for over 20 years. We learned so much from her that afternoon, but something us first grade teachers took away was the importance of gratitude. We shared with the students how this speaker reminded us that having gratitude and recognizing what we're grateful for each and every day has a profound impact on our attitudes, the way in which we learn, and how we go about our days. After a class discussion, the students wrote pieces titled "I have gratitude for...". Their writings are displayed on our first grade bulletin boards in the hall, and I hope you get a chance one morning to pop down and read them.

- This week, our School Counselor, Mrs. Rubin, came in and did an activity with our entire 1st grade class. She introduced the concept of a “Social Filter” – the students raised their hands and gave ideas of what they thought it meant and how it related to everyday life. Then, she read the students a book titled, “I Can’t Believe You Said That!” by Julia Cook. This book explains the importance of using a social filter everyday – it helps everyone from saying or doing things that are hurtful, embarrassing, or damaging in social relationships. The book follows RJ, a little boy who says whatever comes to his mind without using his social filter first. By the end of the book, he learns how to use words that are still truthful but also kind instead of hurtful. The students really enjoyed the story and gave some great examples of ways they can use their social filter. One perfect example was when Mrs. Rubin asked the students this question: What would you say if a classmate came to you and asked you what you thought about their painting and you didn’t like it? How can you state the truth without hurting their feelings? One student raised his hand high and said “You could tell them that it looks like they worked really hard on it!” – what a great example! It was wonderful to see the students’ enthusiasm about this topic, and they all agreed that everyone, students and adults, need to practice using their social filter everyday.

- We hope everyone received our email regarding the students' bird presentations. The students will present their bird research at 8:15 am on both Wednesday, March 28th and Thursday, March 29th. Each student will have a station set up so that guests can roam the two classrooms to view their work. The reason for scheduling the presentations on both days is so that parents have more than one option as to which day to come. We know it's a busy time of year, so we hope everyone is able to stop by briefly on one of the two days!

- Reminder: Picture Day is on Monday. There will be a class picture taken as well as individual shots.

Best,​Mrs. Konerman

Class News- March 2, 2018

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss! As if our week wasn't full enough, we had to squeeze in time to do some activities in honor of Dr. Seuss. We were able to squeeze them in between the Purim carnival and the Misloach Manot exchanges!

The students really got into the spirit of the themed days this week, wearing crazy hair and hats on Tuesdays, team gear on Wednesday, and pajamas on Thursday. We were definitely able to combine fun with learning all week, and we wrapped up Topic 8 in Math and are well on our way through Topic 9. We worked this week on comparing numbers using greater than, less than, and equal to. The students had fun using our “gator boards” to practice this skill.

Our bird research project is well under way, too. I hope your child is coming home each day sharing newly learned bird facts with you! Please see the special note at the bottom of this post about our bird project going forward. This note is also coming home in your child's back and forth folder next week.

In Writing Workshop, we've been busy editing and revising chapter books to get ready for our Publishing Party. In addition to finding and correcting mistakes in their writing, the students have been adding more detail to their writing. We've learned about different ways to add details, like using comparisons to help our readers get the point. After a few more sessions, the students will be ready to celebrate the publication of their chosen chapter book. We're looking forward to it!

Two weeks ago, the students had a special learning opportunity with our 6th graders. The 6th graders completed a long term project on Masada, and they presented their project to the first graders. The students learned about Masada, saw a replica that the 6th graders constructed and even did an archaeological dig! We had yet another special opportunity this week when Michael Moskin's mother presented her newly published book to the students. She was generous enough to send a copy home with each child, so a big thank you to her!

Nuts and Bolts:- Please remember that there is a 1:00 pm early dismissal on Thursday, March 8th for teacher professional development.

Class News- February 9, 2018

100 days of school have come and gone! We started this week with a day of celebrations in honor of the 100th day. The students drew portraits of themselves at 100 years old, and some of the students also had time to take on the challenge of writing 100 words that they know. We watched a short video that highlighted schools around the world so that the students could observe some of the similarities and differences between Rockwern and other schools. Lastly, the students were given cutouts of a number 1 and two number 0s and were instructed to let their creativity dictate what they could create from these 3 digits. The students created everything from Harry Potter to bodybuilders to a dinosaur. As one student put it, “I had no idea this project was going to be this much fun!”

The 100th day coincided perfectly with our math work as we began Topic 8 this week. Topic 8 focuses on understanding place value, so what a perfect time to introduce hundreds and finally place a digit in the hundreds pocket of our daily calendar! Prior to beginning this topic, we finished working on Topic 7, which focused on extending the counting sequence. Additionally, the students continue to use their Chromebooks in the classroom to complete Splash Math activities.The students have also been using the Chromebooks weekly to type the word wall words of the week. They have learned how to open and use a Google Doc and also how to print their documents once they have finished typing their words/and or sentences.

Computer work is included weekly on their checklists. The past two weeks the students have also completed checklist activities that focus on compound words, ng and nk endings, and writing how-to reports.

In Writing Workshop, the students began learning how to write chapter books. As we continue writing teaching books, the students will begin turning these books into chapter books. We studied various forms of tables of content, and this week we explored the importance of using chapter titles that are interesting, concise, and relevant to our topic. The students also continue to learn a variety of strategies they can use to teach their reader, such as thinking about questions the reader might ask (Who? Where? How? When? Why?), illustrating detailed pictures, and using comparisons.

This past week we also began our new long-term science research project on birds. We began the project by having students generated a list of birds that they know. They were then introduced to some of the birds that we see here in Ohio and were asked to list a few that they would like to research further. We read a variety of bird books this week, and we used the information from these books to begin discussions about the body parts of birds. The students put together a Parts of a Bird book in which they used coloring to identify different bird body parts. Yesterday we began exploring bird nests and learning about their functions. Many students have bird knowledge that they’ve shared with the classes. We are all truly learning from one another!

As you can see, we’ve been busy in the classroom these past two weeks, but we also had a special event outside of the classroom as well. The students were lucky enough to meet and hear from the authors of the book The Courage to be Kind. Authors Rina Rosen and Jenny Levin wrote this book as a way of teaching both children and parents how to act and respond when seeing someone who looks different. They read the book aloud to the students and led the students in meaningful and honest discussions about kindness. We were very privileged to have had the opportunity to hear these authors speak.

Nuts and Bolts:- Conferences will be held on Thursday, February 15th from 2:00 pm-7:00 pm and on Friday, February 16th from 8:00 am-noon. Please note that there is a 1:00 pm dismissal on that Thursday and no school on that Friday. The online scheduler closes on Monday, February 12 at 11:59 pm.

Best,​Mrs. Konerman

Class News- January 26, 2018

Coming back after Winter Break is such a special time of year. Every year the students seem well rested, refreshed, and ready to learn. Our first three weeks of 2018 have been even more exciting than usual because of the exciting things happening at Rockwern. In celebration of STEAM week, the first graders had the opportunity to participate in some wonderful events. Last Wednesday, the Macabbia math challenge tested the students’ math abilities (and their ability to quickly use a buzzer!) and what a fun event it was. Ms. Paden, Mrs. White and I were impressed by the students’ knack for solving math problems quickly, but what was more impressive was their sportsmanship and positive attitudes. We saw the students cheering for their peers, congratulating opposing teams, and trying their best on each and every problem. We reflected on the activity in our classroom afterwards, and many students shared that they enjoyed it so much because it was fun seeing their friends and the other teams buzz in with correct answers. That’s the spirit of Macabbia, cheering on even those who aren’t on your team, and the first graders certainly embodied that.

They also were able to spend time in the science lab as Mr. Guess’ 6th grade students presented their science projects and experiments to the 1st graders. The first graders were excited to see how the 6th graders could make a pickle glow! Last Friday, we watched a play called The Inventive Princess of Floralee. It was an entertaining two person show which involved the students as they had to help solve math and science riddles.

In addition to all of the STEAM week fun, our classroom was a hubbub of activity as well. With a holiday, a snow day, an early dismissal and a late start day, we decided to stretch our reading group activities over the first two weeks. The students used their checklists to work on spelling and reading multi-syllabic words, to work on spelling and reading words with long e spelled “ee”, and to practice typing their word wall words on their Chromebooks. This past week, the students played Crack the Egg and Silly Fly as part of their checklist activities.

We began our new Writing Workshop unit and made the transition from writing Small Moment stories to what we call teaching books. The students are just beginning to learn how to make a basic type of information book- a picture book- and by the end of the unit it will be amazing to see the students creating chapter books filled with elaboration, interesting text elements, and pictures to help supplement the teaching of the words. This week we focused on learning how to choose a topic, plan our writing, and answer readers’ questions through our writing.

In Math we worked through Topic 6 which focuses on interpreting and representing data. Tally marks, picture graphs, and surveys are examples of items that the students are encountering and learning to interpret. We moved on to Topic 7 this week which works on extending the counting sequence and working with tens and ones. The students were also introduced to Splash Math, an interactive computer math program that provides games and activities to help practice and strengthen math skills. They learned how to navigate the program, and one of the reasons the program is so great is that I can assign games based on a student’s strengths and weaknesses. This built in differentiation is a great way to make sure each student is getting what he or she needs for math support or math enrichment.

We wrapped up our long term science project and the students did a fantastic job putting together their skeletons. If you haven’t had a chance to see them, they’re hanging on the lockers in our hallway.

Nuts and Bolts:

Below you will find a link to a flyer regarding an author visit and presentation happening on Tuesday, February 6th.

Pastries with Parents, sponsored by the PTO, is happening Wednesday, February 14th from 7:15-8:00 am in Eden Hall.

As you know, my time as your child's primary teacher is coming to an end. As of January 8, I will once again become an assistant to Mrs. Konerman and Ms. Paden.

The goals Carrie and I set for the first half of the year have been met. The children are well into reading and math. They have completed their handwriting workbook. Writing Workshop has been their favorite activity. They have quite a few books written. All of these will be sent home at a later point in the year. I'm sure you will be very impressed with their work and see a vast improvement throughout the year.

Carrie and I will work hard to make sure the transition goes smoothly. I have no doubt that it will be a positive experience for all of us.

I have enjoyed being the "real" teacher for the past few months and want to thank you for your support and cooperation.

In addition, thank you for your generous Chanukah gifts.

Oh yes, don't forget to replenish their snacks in January!

Sincerely,Judy White

Class News- December 8th, 2017

We have been very busy in 1B! Read about all of the learning that is going on...

Science: We continue to learn about the skeletal system. Ask your child about how many bones are in their bodies? Also ask which bone is the strongest bone in their body? The smallest bone? Which is their favorite?

Math: Along with strengthening our addition skills, he have "added" on the unit on subtraction. We are learning that addition and subtraction facts go along together and form "Fact Families." You can help your child by having them identify three numbers that form a fact family, and the four equations that can be made.Example: 9, 8, 179+8=178+9=1717-9=817-8=9

Reading: The current skill we are concentrating on in reading is long vowels. We are also learning about contractions. We encourage you to have your child read out loud to you at least 5 minutes every day. Comprehension questions are difficult. Try asking them a few.

Writing Workshop: They love it and continue to ask do it daily.

Until the next time!

Mrs. White

Class News- November 17th, 2017

​Dear Parents,

It was good meeting with all of you at conferences. I hope you found them helpful. I always do.

This week we have been working diligently on addition. We have been playing games, doing flashcards, and worksheets. The goal is to become more fluent in the facts.

We have also begun a unit on the skeletal system. The kids love it and will be learning a lot.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

​Mrs. White

Class News- October 27th, 2017

​These last couple of weeks have been extra busy, especially since we have been in school two full weeks in a row!

Thank you for providing our class with the wonderful gourds. We have used them in many ways--comparing sizes, weights, textures to name a few. Last week we split into two groups and focused on two pumpkins in particular, one small and one medium. Each group made predictions on the number of seeds that would be found once we cut open the pumpkins. Then they sorted and counted the seeds. Once we knew how many seeds were in each pumpkin, the class compared those numbers with the predictions. We finished by graphing the numbers of seeds on a large graph.

Enjoy the sights of fall!

Class News- October 4th, 2017

​Dear Parents,

We have been very busy the past few weeks. We are in the middle of our second math unit, working on reading, and handwriting.

In addition we are reading " We're All Wonders". This is a fabulous book. I recommend it to all of you. The more advanced version is called ,"Wonder." That is what the older children are reading. We have had many discussions and a project as well.

The children are also working on Writing Workshop. They are beginning to write good stories which I will share with you at conferences.

MOST importantly---we FaceTimed with Mrs. Konerman and the baby today!!

Sincerely,Judy

Class News- September 19, 2017

I officially became your child's teacher September 5th. Before that time I was Mrs. Konerman's assistant. I feel like I am getting to know the children both socially and academically. I am thrilled to be in this position until Mrs. Konerman returns.

We are concentrating on getting the routines in our classroom fine tuned. This is a very big part of learning to work independently. Following verbal instructions is also very important. This generally takes several weeks in first grade.The children are doing well.

In addition we are working on respecting others and being kind. This is critical in our world today.

Reading groups, Writing Workshop, and math are the main part of our curriculum. We have also done a science unit on butterflies.. The children are also learning how to do individual seat work packets based on their needs.

Please feel free to contact me at juwhite@rockwernacademy.org if you have any concerns or questions. I am looking forward to the next weeks working with your children.

Mrs. White

Pictures for you to enjoy. Counting and recording number of blocks.

Class News- August 25, 2017

And just like that, we've got the first full week of first grade under our belts! Since my time at school in the beginning of the year is limited, I am soaking up every opportunity to get to know your children both as students and as people. We've had great class discussions, played fun "getting to know each other" games, and have been busy building a strong classroom community that is going to carry us through this whole school year. Much of the first couple weeks of school is spent learning how to "do school". At Rockwern we use the Responsive Classroom approach, and this means that at the beginning of the year we dedicate a lot of time to learning classroom routines, establishing classroom rules, and modeling expected behavior. This is time well spent because it sets the foundation for the entire year. So please rest assured that we are doing very important things in 1st grade!

One thing we did dive into this week though was Writing Workshop. Our first unit is the Small Moments unit. Throughout this narrative writing unit, the students will be encouraged to write about small moments. By focusing on small moments, the students are able to write with detail, including showing a character's small actions, dialogue, and internal thinking. The students have been busy learning the writing process: choosing an idea, planning their writing by sketching stories across the pages of a booklet, storytelling repeatedly until the story feels just right, and revising to bring more detail and life to their stories. I love teaching this unit because the differences in the students' writing from week to week will be dramatic, and I also love their eagerness when they ask me each day, "Do we get to do Writing Workshop today?"

As I learned from hearing about the students hopes and dreams, we have a classroom of scientists, so it was exciting this week to be able to learn about the life cycle of a Monarch butterfly. Thanks to Ms. Paden's sharp eye, she found a Monarch butterfly's chrysalis and the students have been observing it. We ended our week with some Monarch butterfly activities, and we came into the classroom Friday not to a chrysalis but to a butterfly!

This week was a great example of how science is all around us. Not only were we busy observing the chrysalis, but we had the excitement of Monday's solar eclipse as well. Kindergarten through 2nd grade met together in the library to watch live coverage of the eclipse both in our area and in other spots throughout the country. Prior to going to the library, the students shared what the knew about an eclipse and we watched an informative video about what an eclipse is, why it happens, and what we should expect to see.

What a great first full week we had together. Please enjoy the pictures below! I've also included some of the information that was in your orientation folders. Lastly, please note that we have an early dismissal next Friday, September 1 at 12:30 pm.

Best,​Mrs. Konerman

And just like that, we've got the first full week of first grade under our belts! Since my time at school in the beginning of the year is limited, I am soaking up every opportunity to get to know your children both as students and as people. We've had great class discussions, played fun "getting to know each other" games, and have been busy building a strong classroom community that is going to carry us through this whole school year. Much of the first couple weeks of school is spent learning how to "do school". At Rockwern we use the Responsive Classroom approach, and this means that at the beginning of the year we dedicate a lot of time to learning classroom routines, establishing classroom rules, and modeling expected behavior. This is time well spent because it sets the foundation for the entire year. So please rest assured that we are doing very important things in 1st grade!

One thing we did dive into this week though was Writing Workshop. Our first unit is the Small Moments unit. Throughout this narrative writing unit, the students will be encouraged to write about small moments. By focusing on small moments, the students are able to write with detail, including showing a character's small actions, dialogue, and internal thinking. The students have been busy learning the writing process: choosing an idea, planning their writing by sketching stories across the pages of a booklet, storytelling repeatedly until the story feels just right, and revising to bring more detail and life to their stories. I love teaching this unit because the differences in the students' writing from week to week will be dramatic, and I also love their eagerness when they ask me each day, "Do we get to do Writing Workshop today?"

As I learned from hearing about the students hopes and dreams, we have a classroom of scientists, so it was exciting this week to be able to learn about the life cycle of a Monarch butterfly. Thanks to Ms. Paden's sharp eye, she found a Monarch butterfly's chrysalis and the students have been observing it. We ended our week with some Monarch butterfly activities, and we came into the classroom Friday not to a chrysalis but to a butterfly!

This week was a great example of how science is all around us. Not only were we busy observing the chrysalis, but we had the excitement of Monday's solar eclipse as well. Kindergarten through 2nd grade met together in the library to watch live coverage of the eclipse both in our area and in other spots throughout the country. Prior to going to the library, the students shared what the knew about an eclipse and we watched an informative video about what an eclipse is, why it happens, and what we should expect to see.

What a great first full week we had together. Please enjoy the pictures below! I've also included some of the information that was in your orientation folders. Lastly, please note that we have an early dismissal next Friday, September 1 at 12:30 pm.

Best,​Mrs. Konerman

And just like that, we've got the first full week of first grade under our belts! Since my time at school in the beginning of the year is limited, I am soaking up every opportunity to get to know your children both as students and as people. We've had great class discussions, played fun "getting to know each other" games, and have been busy building a strong classroom community that is going to carry us through this whole school year. Much of the first couple weeks of school is spent learning how to "do school". At Rockwern we use the Responsive Classroom approach, and this means that at the beginning of the year we dedicate a lot of time to learning classroom routines, establishing classroom rules, and modeling expected behavior. This is time well spent because it sets the foundation for the entire year. So please rest assured that we are doing very important things in 1st grade!

One thing we did dive into this week though was Writing Workshop. Our first unit is the Small Moments unit. Throughout this narrative writing unit, the students will be encouraged to write about small moments. By focusing on small moments, the students are able to write with detail, including showing a character's small actions, dialogue, and internal thinking. The students have been busy learning the writing process: choosing an idea, planning their writing by sketching stories across the pages of a booklet, storytelling repeatedly until the story feels just right, and revising to bring more detail and life to their stories. I love teaching this unit because the differences in the students' writing from week to week will be dramatic, and I also love their eagerness when they ask me each day, "Do we get to do Writing Workshop today?"

As I learned from hearing about the students hopes and dreams, we have a classroom of scientists, so it was exciting this week to be able to learn about the life cycle of a Monarch butterfly. Thanks to Ms. Paden's sharp eye, she found a Monarch butterfly's chrysalis and the students have been observing it. We ended our week with some Monarch butterfly activities, and we came into the classroom Friday not to a chrysalis but to a butterfly!

This week was a great example of how science is all around us. Not only were we busy observing the chrysalis, but we had the excitement of Monday's solar eclipse as well. Kindergarten through 2nd grade met together in the library to watch live coverage of the eclipse both in our area and in other spots throughout the country. Prior to going to the library, the students shared what the knew about an eclipse and we watched an informative video about what an eclipse is, why it happens, and what we should expect to see.

What a great first full week we had together. Please enjoy the pictures below! I've also included some of the information that was in your orientation folders. Lastly, please note that we have an early dismissal next Friday, September 1 at 12:30 pm.